


Introspection & Depersonalisation

by Xrross



Category: Id:Invaded (Anime)
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Dreams and Nightmares, Introspection, Neurological Disorders, Psychological Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:35:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25755967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xrross/pseuds/Xrross
Summary: We all dream of self-improvement, becoming the best person we can possibly be. But what if we could meet that person? What would they think of us? And more importantly, would we still wish to become them afterwards?Inspired by a conversation with ShadowcrestNightingale.
Comments: 91
Kudos: 18





	1. Drunk

He felt free.

Freedom was the first thing Narihisago felt, even before he had opened his eyes. He breathed in deep through his nostrils, the fresh air rushing into him and jolting him awake. Gasping, he opened his eyes, staring up at the open sky for the first time in... who even knew? 

It was beautiful. The dark night sky radiated a magnificent purple, millions of stars staring back down at him. But as his gaze drifted lower towards the horizon, the sky gradually become lighter and warmer, turning to a baby blue garnished with vibrant pink clouds, the horizon itself seemingly glowing a warm shade of yellow. Placing his hand on the floor and lifting himself off the ground, Narihisago realised for the first time that he had been laying in a thin layer of water, less than an inch high. Sitting up and looking down, he found himself staring at a mirror image of that same painterly sky, the composition only slightly dampened by the middle-aged, unshaven face hovering depressingly in front of it.

And just like that, that sense of freedom went away.

"Is this... a salt flat?" Looking away from his reflection, Narihisago stood up, the water dripping from his body and clothes, yet somehow nothing felt wet.

"That's what I thought at first. But this place is anything but natural."

Narihisago's mouth went dry. His jaw ridged and his eyes bulging out of their sockets, he turned slowly towards the source of the voice, his mind running through a series of increasingly absurd explanations, despite, in his heart, having known exactly who it was from the start.

Standing before him, about three or four meters away, was Akihito Narihisago, an Akihito Narihisago that he hadn't seen in years. His hair spiked upwards and beamed colour, not unlike the clouds above his head. His cheeks and jawline were smooth and hairless, his clothing elaborate and flashy, a mix of browns and blacks, capped off by the long, flowing yellow scarf wrapped over his shoulders. And his eyes. Good lord his eyes. They were so painfully green, so awfully alive. Almost as if there was an actual person behind them.

"Sakaido...?"

There was a flash of shock across Sakaido's face, his expression almost matching that of Narihisago's, before hardening with a youthful determination. "Sakaido... yeah. That's who I am. And you, you're... Akihito... Narihisago, right?"

"What... is this?" Stepping back, Narihisago almost tripped over his own feet as Sakaido covered his eye with his hand, a motion so familiar that Narihisago almost copied it out of reflex.

"I remembered. As soon as I saw your face, I remembered. My name is Sakaido. And you are Akihito Narihisago. I don't know my full name, but that's neither here nor now. The point is, I am the brilliant detective whose job it is to... to..." Dragging his fingers across his face, Sakaido furrowed his brow, racked with confusion. "Wait. Why am I here? What am I supposed to solve?"

Not paying attention to a single word, Narihisago fell to his knees, splashing water all over himself, none of it dampening his clothes in the slightest as he stared at Sakaido's ankle. "What's going on...? You don't exist... not like this..." he mumbled, drawing Sakaido's attention back to him.

"Oh yeah. You. What's your deal?" he asked, making his way over. "How do you fit into this? And why do you look like me? Well, near enough like me. Are you some kind of.. future version of me? Or a different-" Sakaido stopped talking when Narihisago suddenly lifted his head and looked him in the eye, causing him to stumble backwards, caught off guard by the look he was being given. "H-Hey, what's wro-?"

"What. The. Fuck. Are you doing here!?" Raising to his feet, Narihisago violently grabbed Sakaido by the shoulders, his lips pulled back in a vicious snarl as the two of them almost tipped over into the water. "What is this?! Is this the Mizuhanome?! An id well?!"

"The Mizu... what?!"

"Is this some kind of joke? Torture? Trying to make me feel bad about myself by reminding me of the 'good old days'? WELL YOU'RE TOO FUCKING LATE JOHN!!"

Looking up, Sakaido felt a chill flood down his back. The sky's purple apex has turned a pure black, the soft pink clouds a stormy grey as lighting burst forth and struck the water around them, the previously still wind beginning to whirl and whistle furiously. His heart beating loudly in his ears, he let go of Narhisago's wrists and, before his doppelganger could process things, grabbed his head and smashed it against his. His mind blanking out as the pain hit him, Narihisago fell back and crashed into the shallow sea. The moment he did so, the world suddenly snapped back to its previous state. There was no transition, no reversal. It was like an editing error; something had skipped.

Rattled senseless, Sakaido took several deep breaths to calm himself down. Eventually, the thumping in his ears subsided, and he walked over to Narihisago again, crouching next to him. "Alright, pal. It seems you don't know a thing about this world we're in, but you do know a lot about me. So why don't you start with that?"

Narihisago stared at him, a painful-looking bruise already starting to form on his forehead, before looking away, his eyes clouded and empty. Growing frustrated, Sakaido grabbed him by the scuff of his shirt and yanked him up into a sitting position. "Was I right? Are you my future self? You definitely look older."

".... it would probably be better to call you _my_ past self," Narihisago whispered. Sakaido's blow seemed to have calmed him down, or at least gotten rid of that horrifying rage, but in its place was something arguably more terrifying: complete, all-encompassing apathy, as if he no longer cared about solving the mystery behind this bizarre situation.

_No, I know that isn't true. I barely remember anything, but the one thing I'm sure of is that being a detective is engraved into my bones. There's nothing else that matters to me, and if this guy really is supposed to be me, then he'll be exactly the same._

Letting go of him, Sakaido rose to his feet, leaving Narihisago sitting there. "It seems like you already know me though. And not just because you _were_ me. Why did you know my name, and for that matter, why do we have different names?"

"Honestly, it's a long story that I frankly don't wanna tell," Narihisago said, pulling himself out of the water and onto his feet with a grunt. "But basically, you're the version of me that appears whenever I dive into this place called an id well, a place made by the Mizuhanome System and the minds of criminals. You're a construct. You're a persona. You don't really exist."

Nothing was said for a moment. The two just stared into each other's eyes, Sakaido's moving around slightly as his mind rushed to take in and process everything he'd learnt, Narihisago's dead and motionless, waiting to see what Sakaido would do next.

"Is that so?" he eventually said, prompting a dry huff from Narihisago.

"What a non-response."

"There are so many questions I have. So many that I can't even put them into words." Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Sakaido looked around at nothing in particular, a worried look on his face, before he sighed, let his hand drop back to his side, and looked over at Narihisago, almost glaring at him. "But there's one that keeps popping up. If I really am your past self, then what the hell happened to make me turn out like this?"

Raising an eyebrow, Narihisago gave a wry smile. "What? You know being a serial killer has its advantages. Don't knock it till you try it."

"You expect me to believe I'll become a serial killer?!" 

"What you believe is irrelevant. All I'm saying is that it's going to happen."

Sakaido looked Narihisago up and down, his expression one of disgust as his older self casually spewed drivel with a smile. "I refuse to accept that. I'm a brilliant detective. That's never going to change. No matter what happens to me." It was this statement that finally broke through Narihisago's walls, his empty grin falling instantly.

"Let's see you still say that when your daughter is beaten to death to service someone's sick fantasies," he said, taking a step closer. "Let's see you say that when you have to watch your wife drown in her own grief, forced to watch her spiral deeper and deeper until she takes her own life. Let's see you lose everything: your friends, your family, your job, your whole _fucking_ reason for existing, let's see if you'll stay a brilliant detective after all that." By this point, their noses were practically touching. Narihisago could feel it bubbling underneath the surface again. That hate that so often left him feeling numb and bitter was stewing in his stomach. He could taste the bile in his mouth.

Sakaido however, held his ground, narrowed his eyes, and spoke calmly, softly, and concisely. "Well, if you made it out, then I see no reason why I can't."

"... what?"

Sensing he'd struck something, Sakaido gave a small smirk. "I'm a construct made from you, presumably after you became a killer, right? If I come from you, that means I still exist somewhere in there. You survived." He followed this up by poking Narihisago in the chest, right above his heart, promoting a scowl in response.

"How dare you say I survived," he growled. "You can't call wasting away in a prison cell, unable to do anything but think about how much you failed the ones who needed you surviving!"

"But you're still a detective, right? You use me to go into the minds of criminals to help stop them."

"What are you-?"

"I'm sorry you lost your family, Akihito, and I'm sorry if this sounds cold. But you know better than anyone that your suffering, our suffering doesn't matter, not when there are countless people out there who need our help. It doesn't matter if our world comes crashing down around us, or if we and everything we love dies. We have cases to solve, and people to save. That's what it means to be a brilliant detective."

"Don't give me that bullshit!" Narihisago screamed, reaching out to grab Sakaido's throat. "You don't know a... huh?" Realising he was attempting to strangle air, Narihisago opened his eyes.

_Wait a minute, when did I close my-?!_

_Oh._

Still sweating, Narihisago gradually lowered his hand, trembling like he was about to have a seizure. Sitting up, he turned over and sat on his bed, his feet touching the cold, familiar floor. Looking over his shoulder, it was a little hard to make them out, but his pictures were undeniably there.

"Was it... a dream?" he asked himself, rubbing his bleary eyes.

"I don't know, sounds more like a nightmare to me."

"Shut up, Fukuda," Narihisago said weakly, feeling the beginnings of a headache growing as he lay back down and tried to ignore Fukuda's voice from several cells down.

"Aww come on, brother. Unless you'd rather talk to that wall again."

"Shut. Up. Now."

"Aha, someone's cranky," he teased. However, he didn't make any further comments, leaving Narihisago to his own thoughts.

_What the hell was that? A dream...? No, it was far too detailed, too realistic. I can still remember the pain when he headbutted me. But how is it even possible? Sakaido is me, I'm Sakaido. We're not separate people. I don't think so. I hope not..._

"Hey, Fukuda."

"Gasp! Do my ears deceive me? Is Akihito Narihisago actually initiating conversation?"

"Shut up. I have a question."

"Oh? Ask away?"

"Have you ever seen Anaido in a dream?"

"... what?"

"Your brilliant detective. Have you ever spoken to him in a dream?"

"Can't say I have, though if I did I guarantee I'd have _plenty_ to say."

"... alright. Goodnight."

"What? You can't just leave me hanging like-"

"Good. Night."

"Hmph." Giving himself a quiet smirk, Fukuda rolled back over and closed his eyes.

_Talking to Brilliant Detective Sakaido, huh. Now wouldn't that be fun?_


	2. Depression

"This is... huh..."

Pursing his lips, Fukuda kept still, his eyes darting back and forth as they took in the new environment he found himself a part of. He was standing in what almost looked like a painting, the sky bathed a warm yellow by the setting (or rising) sun, decorated by countless pink, wispy clouds. Taking a step forward, Fukuda heard a noise, and upon looking down, was surprised to find himself standing in an inch high body of water, with him and the sky above him reflected perfectly, almost like a mirror. Looking back up, he realised that the water stretched out all the way to the horizon, no end in sight.

"Huh. Reminds me of the Uyuni Salt Flat. Love to go there one day. If I'm not already here, that is."

Raising an eyebrow, Fukuda turned around to see what was behind him. More or less the same, he deduced, his gaze sweeping over the scenery. Beautiful skies, fluffy clouds, and a man sitting in the water flapping his left arm like a lunatic.

_Wait, what was that last one?_

Jumping slightly, Fukuda quickly looked back. There was indeed a man sitting cross-legged in the endless pool several meters away. His back was facing him, but Fukuda was still able to notice his black, tight trousers and blue trenchcoat. But what really caught Fukuda's attention was the shock of blue hair perched atop his head, shifting slightly as he moved his arm around. Dragging his gaze up the outstretched limb, Fukuda saw that the man wasn't crazily flapping his arm as he'd initially assumed, but pointing towards the sky, the three silver rings on his finger catching the light as it moved from cloud to cloud at a rapid pace.

"Now who do we have here?" Fukuda was fairly certain he hadn't seen this person before, there was no doubt that he'd remember someone with such a flashy sense of fashion. But something about the man reeked of familiarity. Like he... knew him somehow. His expression blank, Fukuda took a step forward and opened his mouth, only for the man to suddenly stick his hands into the water, lift himself up slightly, and spin around 180 degrees. At first, his head was still craned towards the sky, but he must have noticed Fukuda at the bottom of his field of vision, quickly lowering his head and looking him dead in the eye.

"You're-

"-Anaido, the brilliant detective."

Fukuda's face went slightly ashen. Staring at his own face from a mere three years ago, Fukuda got the sudden, inexplicable urge to hit something.

_Wait. No._

_Wait. What? Why?_

_Wait. What? Wait. Cool._

_WHAT?_

"Whoa, dude! What is up with your face?!" Anaido laughed, pointing his fingers at the right side of Anaido's face with a gleeful expression. "It looks awesome! Did you get in a car wreck or something? And what's with that hole?"

"I don't get this..." Fukuda muttered, scratching the side of his face, perplexed.

_Narihisago and Sakaido, that sorta makes sense. The amnesia may as well make them two different people. But Anaido is... me, right? I never forget anything, so doesn't that make us the same person? Then how is he...?_

"Hey Tamostu, if you're not too busy, could you tell me what I'm supposed to do?" Anaido asked, still sitting like a child on the classroom floor. He then thought for a moment, before adding: "Oh, and could you also tell me how I know your name?

"I'm getting the feeling this isn't supposed to be happening, but just look down," Fukuda said, pointing at the ground. Anadio leaned forward and peered into the water, his reaction implying he was seeing himself for the first time. He then looked back up at Fukuda, then at his reflection, then back at Fukuda.

"Huh. What are you? Some bizzaro me?" Finally getting to his feet, Anaido took a step forward, only for Fukuda to suddenly raise his hand.

"Aha, no. Don't come near me." Though he said this with an affable tone and a loose smile, the threat behind the sentence was clear.

"Whoa whoa, hey! I'm not here to fight, brother!" Anaido assured, holding up his hands in surrender. "Truth be told I don't know why... I..." Anaido lost his train of thought when he noticed the water running down his sleeve and dripping off his elbow, his eyes following each water droplet on its way down before shooting back up to watch the next. Realising what he was doing, Fukuda clapped loudly, causing Anaido to jump, and look back at Fukuda with a toothy grin.

"Oops."

"Why are you here?"

"You seem stressed, brother. Maybe you should sit down?"

He was right. Fukuda was stressed. More than that. He was starting to get anxious. Which was odd. Ever since he drilled a hole in his head, Fukuda had, for the most part, stayed in a very positive state of mind, never truly experiencing emotions like anger, hatred or disgust. That's not to say there hadn't been times when his emotions didn't spike, but the most negative emotions he tended to get where apathy or frustration. Now however, Fukuda could feel something burning within himself. The inside of his hole began heating up slowly, and he started fanning it, hoping the cool air would alleviate the growing pressure.

"Ooo, not looking too good, brother. Need some water? I took a drink earlier, it was great!" Anaido said, mirroring Fukuda's earlier motion and pointing at the ocean. Looking at his forefinger, Fukuda again noticed the three silver rings he was wearing. A quick glance at his other hand revealed that he also had three on his left hand. Moving up to his sleeves, he had three cuffs, one after the other on each arm. His torso: there were three lapels on his coat. 

Finally reaching his limit, Fukuda, in a single, smooth motion, bent over and suck the top of his head in the water, just barely managing to get the top of his hole in, letting water flow through. 

"You drink from the hole? Is that how it works?" Anaido asked, scratching his chin rapidly. After Fukuda had "drunk" his fill, he stood back up, shaking his hair out, a relieved smile on his face.

"Ahhh, much better." Looking over at Anaido, he gave a small, crooked smile as he beckoned the brilliant detective over with his finger. "Come on. We've got a mystery to solve, partner."

"Aha, yes!" Anaido exclaimed, snapping his fingers and hopping over, rapidly closing the distance between the two. "What good is a brilliant detective without a-!" was all he got before Fukuda took one giant step, crossing the last few feet between them, and punched Anaido right in the nose. His body, which was still mid-air, carried on moving forward for a moment before he fell, crashing on his back into the sea. Still conscious, Anaido blinked one eye after the other, blood dribbling out of his broken nose and straining the water, contaminating the yellow sky with dark crimson clouds. Giving the detective a broad, friendly smile, Fukuda lifted his foot over Anaido's head, and slammed it down hard.

"Fukuda! Talk or I'll have to shoot you!"

"Huh?" Looking up, Fukuda was startled to see Honodmachi standing in front of him, her hand halfway in her blazer, presumably only a hair away from her gun. "What are you...?" he started to ask, but was silenced when he looked over her shoulder at what was behind her: a white, featureless wall. Looking down, Fukuda saw that his foot was not on top of a bloody, unconscious human head, but a floor. A normal, bland floor, similar in colour to the walls. The interrogation room.

"Are you back with us?" Hondomachi asked, seeing focus and clarity come back to Fukuda. "It's alright, go back outside!" she shouted, leaning to the side and looking around Fukuda. Turning around, he saw two other officers with their guns already out. "I said go, it's fine!" After Hondomachi's second order, the two lowered their weapons and walked back out the door, one giving Fukuda an ugly look as he shut the door. 

"What happened?"

"I was about to ask you that!" Sitting back down, Hondomachi pulled at her collar, her face mildly flushed. "You were halfway through a sentence when you passed out! I was about to go and help you when you stood up, punched the wall and stomped on the floor!" Looking over at the wall next to the table, Fukuda noticed a small red smear on the wall. Looking down at his hand, he realised that he had scraped the skin off his knuckles.

"Huh, so that's how it is..." he said, mostly to himself as he took his seat, staring at his slightly bloody knuckle with a curious eye.

"So, care to explain what happened?"

"I saw Anaido."

"Anaido?" Hondomachi frowned for a moment, before her memory kicked in. "Your brilliant detective? What do you mean?"

"I was in a whole other world. It reminded me of a salt flat of sorts. I found him in there. We talked for a minute."

"You... spoke with your brilliant detective. But how does that work?"

"Can't say we ever found out," Fukuda said with a shrug. "The only thing I learnt in there was how annoying I used to be. Aha..."

Hondomachi began tapping the table, her eyes downcast as she thought. "That sounds unlikely... but I doubt you'd just make up a crazy lie like that on the spot for no reason. Is it something all pilots experience? A side-effect of the Mizuhanome?"

"Narihisago did say that he had a similar dream, though honestly, I thought he exagger-" A knock at the door interrupted him midway. 

"Visiting time's up." The door slid open, revealing not only the two officers from earlier, but two guards from the prison wing, who entered on their own accord.

"Already?" Hondomachi said, a little surprised as she stood up. "Can you take him to the medical ward? He fainted earlier, and messed up his hand a bit." One of the guards nodded as Fukuda willingly held up his wrists to be cuffed. "I'm sorry we didn't get to talk much, Fukuda. I promise I'll talk to the Chief and the Wellside about this."

"No worries, sister. Hopefully the better of us can solve this mystery like a good brilliant detective should." With one last wink, Fukuda was led outside, Hondomachi keeping up her goodbye smile until he vanished from the doorway, letting the friendly face slip in favour of a sharper, more inquisitive demeanour.

_Talking to brilliant detectives in dreams? If Narihisago AND Fukuda have had them, then it's possible that I'll begin having them once I start diving. It would be inconvenient to suddenly pass out while in a meeting..._

_Still... I wonder what he and Anaido talked about... What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall during that meeting? I'll have to ask him next time._


	3. Saintliness

Hondomachi swayed from side to side slightly as she tasted the air. Having long since grown accustomed to both the thick, suffocating smells of Tokyo's many streets and the sterile, artificial scent of the Kura, the damp, liberating fragrance of freshwater was a welcome change. Taking a deep breath, the cool, soothing air filled her lungs, and her eyes fluttered open in bliss as it blew through her hole. Opening her eyes, however, made her take in her new environment for the first time, shocking her out of her days. She was standing in a dreamscape, a world of golden skies and an endless, shallow ocean, reflecting the sky above to create a wondrous effect. Looking down, Hondomachi started into her own large, confused eyes.

_This is beautiful, but... where am I? Come to think of it, how did I even get here?_

"I think the term is a... salt flat?" she whispered to herself. "Is this the same place Fukuda described? Where people meet their-?"

"Hey, you! Mind answering some of my questions?"

Her body becoming rigid, Hondomachi immediately turned around, her hand instinctively flying to her jacket, briefly wondering why her submerged toes weren't feeling wet as they moved through the water, and why that voice sounded so disturbingly familiar. All miscellaneous thoughts flew out the window however, as she laid eyes on the person opposite. There, wading towards her, was herself. A completely identical copy of herself, dressed in a khaki poncho, blue shorts, tights, and bright yellow gloves, with an old fashioned deerstalker on her head. She had seemingly been making her way towards Hondomachi, being mid-stride with a stern expression when she suddenly froze, looking like she'd been electrocuted as her eyes widened to match Hondomachi.

"Oh my god, you're..."

"Koharu Hondomachi... You're Koharu Hondomachi. And I'm Miyo Hijiriido."

Hondomachi hadn't gotten a good look at herself in Denshin Katsuyama's id well, but she knew. She knew right away who the person standing in front of her was. And evidently, so did Hijriido.

"Miyo Hijiriido. That's definitely my name. I'm Miyo Hijiriido, the brilliant detective." Scanning the horizon, Hijriido's face scrunched up in thought. "I must have been summoned to solve the mystery of this world. And I think I'll start with you," she said, pointing accusingly at Hondomachi. "Who are you, Koharu?! How do we know each other and why do you look like me?!"

"W-Wait a minute! I'm just as confused as you are!" Hondomachi took a step forward, only for Hijiriido to take several backwards in response.

"Don't try anything funny alright! I know you've got a gun on you. You were just about to grab it!"

"I'm a police officer, I promise I'm not going to..." Hondomachi trailed off when she noticed for the first time that the now-familiar weight on her left side was missing. Feeling the area where her holster should be confirmed her suspension. "What? It's not there!" Hijiriido narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"Take off your blazer, now! Then I'll believe you!"

"Come on, I promise I'm-!"

"Take it off, now!"

_What the hell is up with her? Is this how I always act? Or is just how Miyo Hijiriido, the brilliant detective acts? What's even the difference between us?_

Regardless, Hondomachi complied, unbuttoning her blazer and sliding it off, letting it fall into the water. Hijiriido opened her mouth, but before she would say anything, Hondomachi turned around, letting her see there was nothing tucked into the back of her skirt.

"Alright. You seem safe. Sorry," she said in a somewhat curt manner, relaxing nonetheless as Hondomachi turned back around and started walking towards her again. "So, mind answering my questions now?"

Making sure to keep her movements slow, Hondomachi stopped a meter or so away from Hijiriido. "As I said, I'm a police officer, I work with a special department called the Kura. We use a machine called the Mizuhanome System to explore the minds of criminals with brilliant detectives."

Hijriido frowned. "Exploring the minds of other people? Sounds ridiculous."

"But it's why we know and look like each other! I dive into the Mizuhanome and become you!" Hijiriido made a face that made her disbelief obvious. "And I'm not the only one! Do the names Sakaido and Anaido mean anything to you? They're also brilliant detectives!"

"Never heard of them."

"What about Akihito Narihisago? Tamotsu Fukuda?"

"No."

"What about Kaeru?!"

It was that word that caused Hijiriido's expression to shift, something weak sparking in her eyes.

"Kaeru..." she repeated, getting a feel for the name. "I don't remember anyone called Kaeru, but... it makes me feel... something..." Placing a hand over her chest, she pursed her lips, unsure of what she was feeling.

"Kaeru is a dead girl. She shows up in each killer's mind, and brilliant detectives have to solve her murder, by extension helping the people watching us solve the real murder case." Hearing Hondomachi's explanation, Hijiriido looked back at her, a far more inquisitive look on her face.

"Okay. Let's say that all of that is true. Why are we here? Is this the mind of a criminal? If I'm to believe you, then us meeting face to face is impossible. And where's Kaeru?"

Hondomachi sighed, her gaze drifting off towards the horizon. "Like I said earlier, I have no idea. The other Mizuhanome pilots, Narihisago and Fukuda, they've apparently both experienced this. What does it mean though?"

_Could this be a side-effect of the Mizuhanome? But Fukuda's description implied that Narihisago hadn't experienced something like this before. Besides, if the Wellside knew, wouldn't they tell us beforehand? Is it something that only takes effect after long-term use? No, of course not! Fukuda only started diving recently, and I only had my first one this morning! Then what is it? I wish we knew more about the Mizuhanome!_

"Well, sounds like you can't tell me any more than you already have." Hijriido's words jolted Hondomachi out of her thoughts.

"Huh? What does that mean?" she asked as Hijriido turned away from her abruptly.

"Basically, there's no point in talking to you anymore. Kaeru might not be here, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm a brilliant detective," she said, staring out across the expanse. "I'm going to solve the mystery of this world myself, regardless of who I might actually be. **That's** my job!" With those final words, Hijiriido suddenly broke into a sprint, dashing forwards as fast as her legs would take her.

"Hey! Hold on, Hijiriido!" Holding out her hand, Hondomachi began following her, quickly picking up speed.

"Hondomachi! What's wrong with you?!"

"Huh?!" Inexplicable, her hand came into contact with a hard surface, swiftly followed by her face. Bouncing back off it, Hondomachi stumbled backwards and fell hard on her behind, letting out a pained groan.

"Hondomachi, are you with us now?"

Hondomachi opened her eyes, even though she couldn't remember shutting them. To her surprise, she found herself on the floor, with her blazer back on, in Chief Hayaserua's office, the man himself standing next to her, bent over slightly.

"Chief...? Oh my god, Chief!" Hondomachi scrabbled to get to her feet, though apparently too fast, being struck by dizziness the second she was upright.

"Take a moment to calm down, please. Has something wrong happened?" Hayaserua asked, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder. Blinking slowly and hard, Hondomachi looked up at him, as everything slowly started to fall into place.

"Chief Hayaseura, sir... I... I spoke with Hijiriido." The man raised his eyebrows, letting go of her shoulder.

"Hijiriido? Your brilliant detective?"

"Yes, I saw and spoke at length with her," Hondomachi said, having regained her senses by now. Frowning, Hayaseura stood up slightly straighter, clasping his hands behind his back.

"Is this the same phenomenon you say Fukuda described himself and Narihisago experiencing?"

Hondomachi nodded. "I think it was, yes."

"Could you describe it in greater detail? What was the location, for instance?"

"Location... well, it looked like we were in a massive salt flat. You know, one with water in it, where the sky is reflected perfectly?"

"... I see. Anything else?"

"Honestly, not much else," Hondomachi admitted. "I wanted to work with Hijriido to try and figure it out, but she just asked me a few questions and then ran off."

"Well, brilliant detectives tend to be quite quirky characters," Hayaserua said with a slight chuckle. "Your story does explain what happened on my end. You seemed to fall unconscious for a moment, before suddenly waking up and running into the wall."

"I did that? Jeez...!" Hondomachi groaned, rubbing her forehead. "I'm so sorry, Sir. You must have been very confused."

"Not to worry," Hayaseura reassured. "Mizuhanome pilots, by their nature, tend to be a confusing bunch. I promise, we'll find out what exactly is causing this, and perhaps put a stop to it."

"Thank you, Sir," Hondomachi said, somewhat absentmindedly. "Um, Chief? What do you think is happening?" 

Hayaserua hummed in thought, before moving back behind his desk, letting out a small groan as he sat down. "Well, if I had to theorise, I'd say it's a lingering after-effect caused by exposure to the Mizuhanome. What the actual nature of this effect is, we don't know. Unfortunately, that's the case with many things about the Mizuhanome."

"Hmm... yeah..."

A silence stretched between the two for a few seconds before Hayaserua spoke up again. "Well, we can continue our discussions tomorrow."

"Oh! Sorry Sir, what was I even doing here?"

"I was merely interested in knowing your experience diving for the first time. That can wait, however. I advise that you pay a visit to the medical wing and get checked out."

"... yes sir." Giving a stiff salute, Hondomachi turned and walked out the office, carefully closing the door behind her. As the sound of her footsteps gradually faded away, Hayaserua leaned back with a sigh, looking up at the ceiling with an unreadable expression.

_This makes all three now that have experienced this same phenomenon. There's no doubt anymore. She's doing this deliberately. Kiki Asukai, just what are your plans here? Perhaps I should pay you a visit to find out for myself..._

_Still... I have to wonder... just what did Ms. Hondomachi and Hijriido get up to in there? What I wouldn't give to give to have a talk with her myself..._


	4. Submerged

"Remarkable. This sight never does get old."

With an amused hum, Hayaseura folded his hands behind his back, taking in the scenery. The night sky directly above him, gradually changing to dusk the lower it went, the pink cotton clouds and clear stars decorating it, the endless oasis of sole-high water that didn't seem to make him the slightest bit wet. It was a sight he'd seen several times before, but it never failed to take his breath away.

_Now then. How have I found myself here? Could Kiki have realised my intentions and decided to get our meeting over with already? Or perhaps it is for the same reason she had our three pilots meet their brilliant detectives, whatever that may be? But I do not possess a brilliant detective, so what's the point of-?_

"And pray tell, how exactly have you ended up here, hmm?"

Hayaseura felt a chill rush down his back, causing him to briefly shiver in shock as his hands gripped each other tightly. There was no mistaking that voice. Turning around, he watched with a furrowed brow as the voice's owner approached him.

"What is this?"

John Walker stopped moving, the water rippling out from where he stood. Despite there being no obvious light source, the brim of his top hat cast a deep shadow over his eyes, their crimson hue just barely coming through. Unlike his multiple appearances in id wells, there was no glitchy mess obscuring his features, letting Hayaseura see a once-familiar face, one he hadn't seen in years. His initial shock fading, he straightened his back, noticing that John Walker did the same.

"Let me guess. John Walker?"

"I have no idea who that is. Frankly, I'm disappointed that you'd mistake me for someone else, especially since it means you clearly don't know who I am." This caught Hayaseura off guard, watching as the man who apparently wasn't John Walker narrowed his eyes, his upper lip curling into a malicious sneer. "I am Uraido, the brilliant detective. And you are Takuhiko Hayaseura."

"Uraido, hmm? So you know who I am?"

"I'm afraid those are the only things I do know," Uraido sighed. "So, if you could give me something to solve, I'd appreciate it greatly."

"Of course. How about why you exist in the first place?" Uraido snorted in response, giving a humoured smile.

"My, what a cold tone. Might I ask why you're so invested in my existence, copy of mine?"

"I assure you it is you who is the copy," Hayaseura specified. "You shouldn't exist because I do not possess a brilliant detective."

"Bahahaha!" Uraido burst into rigorous laughter, leaning on his cane for support. "'Possess'? What a word! Of course you don't possess me! And to imply that I am somehow your copy, as if to demean me!" Already Hayaseura was growing tired of the brilliant detective's behaviour, his hands once again tightening their grips on each other.

_This entity... existing only to solve cases, possessing a name of his own in line with the others... there's no doubt. He is a brilliant detective. But how was he made, and for what purpose?_

"Do you know who Kiki Asuaki is?"

"Asukai? Afraid not. It seems that she's someone that I'm meant to know, though."

"She is in all likelihood the one who created you, _Brilliant Detective_."

This again prompted a laugh from Uraido, though much more subdued than the one prior. "My creator? Do you mean 'God'? Is she the one who created this world?"

"You could say that she and I both had a hand in shaping this world's image."

"Ah, you are also God." 

"Ahaha, well, I wouldn't go that far, but yes. If you really wanted to call me that, you could."

"And if I am you, and you are me, then doesn't it stand to reason that I am also God?" Hayaseura frowned, off-put by the look in Uraido's stare.

"Well, that's also something-" he began, before coming distracted by the waves slapping into his legs.

_Waves? But there's no wind._

Looking up, his eyes widened slightly as the clouds, which made previously been completely stationary, begin to move; slow at first, but very quickly picking up speed, eventually moving so fast that they seemed to stop moving altogether, becoming singular, long blurs across the sky, like he was watching a time-lapse. The once motionless ocean became increasingly restless, spraying its foam all over Hayaseura's body, though like before, there was never the sensation of actually being wet.

"As God, I'll no trouble solving the mystery of this world and who Kiki Asukai is. No wonder I'm called a 'brilliant detective'! Ahahaha!" Laughing maniacally as the world swirled around him, Uraido turned his gaze back to Hayaseura, a smug smirk smeared over his face as he raised his finger and pointed. "I doubt I'll have any use for you going forward, Takuhiko. After all, there's only ever room for one God." Rather than cower as he had expected however, Hayaseura began walking forward.

"I don't know what games you're playing, Kiki," he said, somehow perfectly audible over the crashing waves despite barely raising his voice. "But I think it's time you grew up and started acting your... ah." At some point during his sentence, Hayaseura had walked back into his office entirely without him noticing. The waves, the sky, the stars, Uradio, vanishing without a trace. 

"Good girl." Resuming his default pose, Hayaseura returned to his chair, sitting down with a grunt as the rays of the setting sun warmed the back of his neck.

_I know you can hear me, Kiki. I have no idea what game you've been playing all this time, but whatever it is, it's over. With Narihisago no doubt beating Fukuda's lifeless corpse in the middle of a well storm, any loose ends have now been cut. I'll talk with you soon, Ki-_

_"I found them! All three!"_

Hayaseura's thoughts ground to a halt as Shiratake's voice crackled through over the intercom.

_"Extract them!"_

Hayaseura didn't move for a moment, caught by surprise, before his brain started moving again. With an annoyed sigh, he reached under his desk, feeling around slightly until he hit the button he wanted, using his other hand to open a drawer and pull out a handgun. Clocking it, he rose from his seat, looked around his office for a final time, before shutting the drawer and walking away.

_Well. It seems we'll be meeting sooner rather than later, Kiki Asukai..._


	5. Toad

"I should have known."

It was a rare moment of peace for Kiki Asukai. Between the various well dives Narihisago and Hondomachi took, and the countless serial killers invading and violating her mind and body, she took any moment of quiet she could, despite knowing it could end as soon as it started. Laying spread eagle on the ground, feeling the dry water between her fingertips, she opened her eyes, look up at the sky's crown. For a brief moment, she almost deluded herself into thinking it was actually real, that she was floating in a clear lake on a warm summers evening, staring up into deep space, the stars from billions of years ago staring right back at her. Almost.

"I should have known," she repeated, closing her eyes. Look for just a moment longer, and she feared she might cry. Turning her head, she buried the side of her face into the water and inhaled, feeling the fluid flow up her right nostril. She might as well have been breathing air. "Nothing helps. Why did I think otherwise?"

Akihito Narihisago. Tamotsu Fukuda. Koharu Hondomachi. Even Takuhiko Hayaseura. She'd bore witness to all of their meetings with their respective brilliant detectives, and if she were completely honest, she had no idea what she was expecting to happen. She certainly wasn't stupid enough to think that they'd all suddenly remember the good old days and turn over a new leaf. But maybe, by reconnecting with their true selves, they might be inspired to-

"Don't. Don't be silly." Balling her hands into fists, Kiki resisted the urge to flail about like a child having a tantrum, just barely able to keep her tears at bay. "Of course they wouldn't be inspired. They've changed so much, they may as well be different people. Some of them even hated seeing themselves."

_So what was I even trying to do?_

A single tear squeezed past her eyelids, and that was all it took to open up a waterfall. No matter how tight she screwed her eyes shut, tears continued to leak, running down her face and streaming into the shallow sea. In an effort to at least keep her sobs from getting out, she suddenly snorted loudly, quickly followed by a quick, dry laugh. Opening her eyes and letting the tears flow freely, Kiki gazed up at the sky again, a trembling, thin smile on her flushed face as she rolled her head over to the other side. "What do you think I was trying to do..."

"... Kaeru?"

Kaeru, predictably, said nothing. She just stared back at Kiki, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging slightly agape as if she was constantly on the verge of saying something. With a single, weak giggle, Kiki closed her eyes again.

"Seriously? Is this all you do here?"

With a start, Kiki's smile vanished, her eyes wide as she moved her head to see Miyo Hijiriido standing over her, having somehow gotten right next to her without her noticing. Giving a confident, toothy smile, Hijriido bent over slightly and extended her hand.

"Come on! Are you really just gonna lie here forever feeling sorry for yourself? Get up!" she insisted. Moving completely on autopilot, Kiki weakly lifted her hand, which was promptly taken by Hijiriido, who grabbed it with a strong grip and started pulling hard, though her confidence clearly didn't convert to physical strength, as she struggled to get more than Kiki's shoulder off the ground.

"HMMMMRRRGGGG!! Just.... give me a minute!!" she grunted, digging her feet in the ground.

"Ahahaha! Somebody's never picked a body up before!" 

Jumping again, Kiki made to look over to where the second voice came from, only to feel a pair of arms snacking underneath her upper back and knees, lifting her up and out of the water with a bit of a wheeze. 

"Ugh, should probably start lifting, huh? Then again, I never do know when to stop," Anadio said, winking at Kiki as he rose back to his full height. "What do you think's a good number to start with, hmm?" Kiki's mouth open and closed multiple times, staring into Anaido's chartreuse eyes with complete incomprehension.

"Hey! I could have done it on my own if you'd just given me a few more-!"

"-minutes?"

"You...!" Crossing her arms childishly, Hijiriido glared up at Anaido from under the brim of her hat, the blue giant just laughing at her in response, Kiki still looking at him, shaking her head slightly.

"I don't understand... why are you.... what are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" a third voice said. Tearing her eyes away from Anaido, Kiki looked over Hijiriido's head, and nearly let out a shout when she saw Sakaido walking towards them, an affable, approachable grin on his face. Noticing him, Hijiriido moved aside to let him get close to her, still tucked up in Anaido's arms as he placed a hand on her head, rubbing his thumb up and down her scalp in an almost fatherly way. 

"We're here to save you, Kaeru."

For the briefest of moments, a small part of her wondered why he had called her that name, but as soon as it appeared, it was just as quickly discarded. Letting out a strangled, raw cry, she reached up towards Sakaido's face and held his cheek. 

"Please... Please don't let me die!" Kaeru wept, tears spilling out of her eyes, yet unwilling to close them, unwilling to even blink, afraid of losing sight of the brilliant detective for even a second. A smile on his lips, Sakaido held onto her hand with his own, the warmth of it almost making her gasp. Anaido let out a low, soft chuckle, and Kaeru could feel him pull her closer into his chest. Something lightly knocked into her, and, after moving around a bit, she realised that Hijriido was leaning into her, pressing her forehead against the crown of her head. She could feel her breath tickling the back of her neck. Almost instinctively, her free hand moved upwards and found Hijiriido's head, gripping the top of her hat and pulling her closer, as if trying to pull her into herself.

_I get it... I know what I was doing... I wanted you... I wanted anyone... to come here and save me!_

"Please... Please don't leave me..."

"Dis-moi, tu dors, Kiki?"

Kiki opened her eyes. Sakaido, Anadio, Hijriido and her tears were gone. She was once again on her back in the water, staring up at the sky with a blank expression. Rolling her head over to the side, she found herself looking at a pair of gardening boots. Angling her gaze upwards, she saw those boots belonged to a young woman with freckled, white skin, a crop of frizzy black hair, and dressed in dirtied jeans and a brown leather jacket. In her hand she held a large, filthy garden fork, rhythmicity hitting the ground the prongs until she noticed Kiki's awakening. Immediately lowering herself in a crouch, she gave a sly smirk, reaching out and caressing Kiki's cheek.

"Ah, ma petit chou-fleur..." she cooed, lifting up the fork and aiming it at her stomach. Too tired to even whimper, Kiki rolled her head away and closed her eyes, trying to imagine Hijiriido's secure grip, being pressed against Anaido's chest, and the warmth of Sakaido's hand against her own, the shadow of a small, weary smile briefly coming into view.


End file.
